3.2 PvP: Feast Game Mode Discussion Thread.

[Zhexos]

Greetings,

Can you please clarify if this includes icarus wings and regain feathers?

You won't be able to use these items inside The Feast, but we're adjusting Sprint so that while inside PvP content, it will be possible to use this action without consuming any TP. However, players will still be able to use these items inside Frontline just like before.

Currently, the secondary stats found on Aetherial gear aren't applied to your character while you are level synced or item level synced. In Patch 3.2, we're planning to adjust this so that the secondary stats will have an adequate amount of value matching the synced level or item level.

Along with this change, the item level 150 equipment obtainable from The Diadem will be changed to item level 160. Since the item level sync set for The Feast is 150, the item level 150 equipment from The Diadem will become too powerful. This measure has been put in place as a balance adjustment. With this adjustment, all the secondary stats from equipment higher than item level 150 will sync to an adequate value, making it possible for players to fight without worrying about certain gear being too powerful.

[Februs]

You won't be able to use these items inside The Feast, but we're adjusting Sprint so that while inside PvP content, it will be possible to use this action without consuming any TP. However, players will still be able to use these items inside Frontline just like before.

Thanks for the response. We appreciate the info.

I am super hyped for the sprint buff. It was a ROYAL PAIN in the butt to re-arrange PvP hotbars to take quick advantage of TP regen items, and Enliven just did not cut it for a Tank (no invigorate). This should increase the speed of the fights as well ... It should also help melee classes who don't have a "gap closer" keep up with ranged opponents like Summoners without being too unfair (given that they, as well, can just pop sprint and run away). All in all, I think this is a good change.

The gear changes are interesting as well. As much as I wasn't pleased to hear about the level sync, I'm happy to see that they are putting in the effort to make sure existing gear sets remain balanced (though I still think that Ranked PvP sets should have a slight advantage). You were very sly not to mention if the sets we see in the PvP portion of the trailer were PvP gear or not, though.

[Februs]

From the trailer, it seems like picking up coins from fallen enemies is as simple as just running through their corpse.

This definitely seems to be the case, which means that we cannot interrupt a player from picking up medals, short of killing the player before they reach them. In one way, I really like this. It will ensure that the game matches keep a fast pace and establish a sense of urgency. It will also mean that it will be easier to split medals across the team since anyone can just run them over to get them. No need to worry about a healer or caster putting their neck on the line while waiting for a interaction bar.

In another way, though, there will be a less tactical approach to the match progression, since the only way to stop a person from scoring is to kill them. That means that bait tactics will be less effective. ... Though, I suppose Pld's can delay the inevitable by stun locking via shield bash. That should work out just as well.

If that is just one map, it looks so big for 4v4 lol

This was probably unavoidable, since the casual matches are 8 v 8. I think SE is banking on the 8 v 8 unranked mode to be the more popular one (especially for tome hunters, who don't actually give a hoot about winning). So the arena had to be big enough to accommodate both. It should work out in 4 v 4 as well, though. The fact that we can freely sprint around means that we can utilize the extra space if we need to cheese it away from an enemy (healers and casters especially).

[Houston009]

There also appears to be different sized maps for 4v4 and 8v8. Looking at the arena when the first group runs in shows a circle floor surrounded by water. Then, later on, the arena gains floors and a square border surrounded by water.

[Februs]

There also seems to be some strange weather effects occurring in the last shot of the PvP section of the trailer, and there is an aetheric effect surrounding the arena. Given that everyone is casting LB's at that point, I'm assuming the match has been going on for a while with no deaths, so maybe this is the "Culling Time" debuff that they mentioned?

Any thoughts on that?

[nickx]

There also seems to be some strange weather effects occurring in the last shot of the PvP section of the trailer, and there is an aetheric effect surrounding the arena. Given that everyone is casting LB's at that point, I'm assuming the match has been going on for a while with no deaths, so maybe this is the "Culling Time" debuff that they mentioned?

Any thoughts on that?

Yes, you are correct. "This time occurs when a player isn’t defeated for certain amount of time. If no one is defeated the debuff will continue to accumulate, but once an enemy or ally is defeated the debuff is removed. This will also affect the background and sound."

[Recaldy]

snip

None of those will matter when stuns shadow you 100% of the fight. Half of those get interrupted by ANYTHING a melee can do to a healer so no. Only three of those help and 2 of 3 don't matter when I'm stunned right after starting the cast. All that and I'll get silenced by the bard cause when isn't there a lazy ranged class in pvp. That person won't be using it on a smn either.

[Februs]

None of those will matter when stuns shadow you 100% of the fight. Half of those get interrupted by ANYTHING a melee can do to a healer so no. Only three of those help and 2 of 3 don't matter when I'm stunned right after starting the cast. All that and I'll get silenced by the bard cause when isn't there a lazy ranged class in pvp. That person won't be using it on a smn either.

I think you're worrying too much.

Healers have plenty of survive-ability in Wolves Den. Next to Tanks, a good healer is often the hardest target to kill. A lot of the time this leads to squishier targets (Smn's/Blm's/Nin's/Brds. etc) taking way more aggro than healers. Sprinting was not their sole advantage over melee classes either, especially considering stuns stop sprints anyway. Really, there won't be any difference between stunlocks in Feast and WD. A stun target still can't sprint, so nothing changed. Interruptions still work the same way too, so, again, nothing changed.

The only thing that did change is that melee can freely sprint ... but so what? For Mnk's and Drg's this was already a non-issue, because they have gap closers in their skill kits. Further, in the event that they did have to use sprint, they had invigorate / enliven / Icarus wings to instantly restore their Tp back to full. It takes a bit of working with your hotbar, but a skilled PvP'er never worried about Sprinting. The only jobs this might actually make a difference to is War's and Pld's, because they have no gap closers in their skill kits.

If anything, Healers will have been given a bit of relief in this game mode. The heavy medal debuff ensures that the healer will not be the easiest (or even most desirable) target to kill, so long as they avoid picking up medals, and it would appear that players can re-spawn (thought this is still not confirmed), meaning that Healers don't have to worry about rez'ing or dying. If they get focused down and ground into sandwich meat, they can just get back up. No problem. Further, the casual version of Feast has 2 healers (8v8), so there's someone to share the load with. People who are only used to healing in Frontlines might be a little shocked by this game mode because they can no longer hide behind the skirts of 24 other teammates, but I can't imagine a seasoned WD player having any trouble in Feast.

[spellsnare]

Greetings,



You won't be able to use these items inside The Feast, but we're adjusting Sprint so that while inside PvP content, it will be possible to use this action without consuming any TP. However, players will still be able to use these items inside Frontline just like before...

that interesting but what about ''morale'' stats are you going activate it someday because now the pvp gear is still bad and pointless to obtain or maybe for glamour but now i not see a advantage to have it and equip it for arena macth or pvp battleground

[Februs]

Sounds like another change to facilitate low skill players. Micro managing TP and proper usage of sprint is an extremely important nuance of a melee. Making calculated decisions and even gambles with your TP items/skills can be very rewarding, and also just as punishing if you plan it poorly or your gamble doesn't pay off.

Keep in mind that player re-spawns probably played into this decision. Being able to get back into the action quickly is important, especially on a map that was designed to accommodate 16 players. Depending on where the action is, you might have to book it to get back to your team (especially healers, who need to be there quickly). I think the general idea here was to keep the combat moving by removing some of the clunk, especially considering the clunk was all just window dressing in the first place.

As a dragoon, you should be pretty well aware that Tp managment is never an issue in PvP. Invigorate + Enliven = Sprint on CD, and that's IF you even need it. Spineshatter/Dragonfire Dives both close gaps in the push of a button without needing sprint. Even Evasive jump could be used as a gap closer if needed. It's hard to say how this will play out until we see it in action, but I don't think it will make much of a difference to the overall combat other than speeding things up a little.